Power plant agrees to pay funds over 20 years

August 16, 2005

By Tony Parra: PNT Staff Writer

County commissioners and Padoma wind-farm officials have come to terms on an agreement which will generate more than a $2.717 million in revenue for the county over the next 20 years, according to county attorney Randy Knudson.
The San Juan Mesa Wind Project plant with 120 wind turbines will be a 120-megawatt facility. The wind turbines are manufactured by Mitsubishi. The facility will provide enough power for the average annual needs of about 41,600 homes, Xcel Energy vice president Gary L. Gibson said in a press release.

Nancy Belcher, county treasurer, who works as the fiscal agent for the Elida School District said the school district has the same financial agreement which means the district will recieve $2.717 million over 20 years, also.

• A public hearing was held to discuss an ordinance restricting the sale of nasal decongestants in Roosevelt County during the county meeting on Tuesday.

Nasal decongestants have been the hot topic because some contain pseudoephedrine, an ingredient that can be used to make methamphetamine. The public hearing allows for Roosevelt County residents to speak for or against the ordinance.

Provisions of the ordinance:
• Only applies to hard-pill and powder-form of the pseudoephedrine-based drugs
• Buyers will have to provide name, address and driver’s license number
• Affected forms of medicine will be placed behind the counter
• Maximum of three boxes per transaction

“This is a great opportunity for a meth-free future,” Ninth Judicial District Attorney Matt Chandler said, speaking in favor of the ordinance on Tuesday morning. “I encourage you (to pass ordinance) and tell you how much we (district attorney’s office) appreciate this board.”

The ordinance will be on the agenda for approval for the Sept. 6 meeting. County commissioners have already said they will approve the ordinance and once it is approved the ordinance goes into affect within a week. This means the ordinance could be in place by Sept. 13.

In other business at the meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a joint powers agreement with the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority which has an amendment to the amount of entities involved in the project. There were 12 ENMRWA members in the project, but San Jon, Logan, Tucumcari and Quay County have dropped out leaving eight members.

County Commissioner David Sanders represents Roosevelt County in the Ute water meeting. The county doesn’t have financial responsibility in the $300 million Ute Water project and sold its 100 acres of water in the lake to the City of Portales.